After the Sun
by I'd Rather Drown
Summary: Vlad meets Mirena again... but not without a few surprises. Darkness looms two forms of tall, handsome, and wealthy. But who will Mirena choose?
1. Chapter 1

**So, I haven't written anything in over a year. Because I was in AP English.. which if you know anything about that, then you know how rigorous it is. And all of it was for nothing because I received a 2 on the exam-which isn't good. Anyways, I went and saw Dracula the other day and loved it. I loved it so much that I decided to write a story about it. Don't know where I'm going with this, but it's starting at the end of the movie. So, modern day. Okay, I'm going to stop writing about myself and get to the part that you guys actually want to read. **

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><p>For centuries, he had wandered the earth, waiting. He had visited many who could see into the future, as well as those who were trained to know all about supernatural beings. After his son had taken over as king, he had gone to the priest to ask questions. Finding the answers he had seeked, he spent his time waiting.<p>

He didn't mind waiting. It just meant that when he finally got what he wanted, he would savor it that much more.

Finally, he saw her. He wasn't so sure how he felt about the hair though. It was short; no longer was it curled in soft ringlets, but instead slicked straight with some type of hair wax (later he found that it was called pomade). It was still yellow, though. It made her seem ghostly, especially since she was covered in white. The black heels she sported made him smile. As he had passed through the centuries, nothing had made him smile more than the heels that women donned. They made their feet hurt, yet they couldn't go a day without wearing them. He himself was quite tall, and whenever he passed a woman so tall as he was, he had to laugh at how her knees would buck out as if she were a horse when she walked by him. However, Mirena didn't walk like all of those other women.

And that was how he knew he had found her.

Even when they had been young, she didn't move like all the other women. She had grace, something a true gentlewoman would have. He knew when he watched her walk in with her court that he wanted her. She was nothing like the Turkish women he'd seen. They all were dressed in their brightly colored Middle Eastern drapes, sequins and flashy accessories catching the glints of all the candlelight in the room. Even though he most likely had just been following the instincts of a man who had never formally been around women, other than the prisoners from battles, the whores his fellow soldiers had every night, he knew how to act around her. Mirena stood tall, donned in heavy garments that were so dark she looked like a porcelain doll. Her smile lit up the room, teeth glittering. Her eyes were clear, and she had a laugh that danced along the wavelengths of the room. He knew instantly he was going to marry her, and he did.

They walked together now, laughing at the small things, dodging the sunlight, and enjoying steaming coffee.

"So, really, how did you know that was my favorite poem?"

"I am not so sure I understand your inquiry." Vlad arched an eyebrow, unsure of how to approach this subject. He'd gotten away with it earlier, but that was mainly because of how shocked she was at the fact that he was able to recite it word for word.

She laughed, the light melody filtering the air around them. Vlad was vaguely aware of the deep chuckle behind them, but he ignored it. He'd deal with him later. Right now, he was focusing on avoiding Mirena's question. "I just want to know how you knew about my poem. Did you go to high school with me?"

Ah, high school. If Vlad remembered correctly, that was where most young adults received their last bit of schooling before becoming adults and living within the real world. He had also learned that there was a post high-school educational option, but only for people who were interested in having higher-paying careers. "Yes. Well, no actually. My... brother did."

"Oh, really? Who was he?" Her voice held a tone of arrogance, and Vlad huffed in annoyance. Why was she being so persistent?

"I'd rather not say. I don't want to go around giving away my secrets." He winked at her, something he knew the original Mirena would have blushed at.

And blushed, she did. "I'm sure you don't..."

"Vlad." Once again, he was reminding her of his name. How could she forget it? He was certain no one else had it that she knew.

"Well, Vlad, I'm sure when I go look in my senior yearbook I'll find someone who looks like you." Suddenly, she whipped out a small rectangular object, with something flashing on it. Her eyes widened. "Oh, my. I'm so sorry, but I have to go back to work. It was nice seeing you, Vlad. Maybe I'll see you around." He knew it was grammatically supposed to be a statement; however, her tone had turned it into a question, almost as though she were implying she wanted to see him again. Of course she wanted to see him again, why wouldn't she? Vlad nodded, knowing he had no intentions of leaving her side. Now that he had found her, he wasn't about to let her go. He would follow her every move, learn her every habit, even if that meant staying away from her. This was his Mirena, regardless of the amount of time that had transgressed since the last time he'd seen her.

"Of course, my dear." With that, he watched her spin on her heels and sashay away. Her white trench coat billowed out behind her, and her black handbag dangled, swishing back and forth. She held the rectangular object to her ear (he later learned that it was a cell phone), and she rubbed the back of her neck. As soon as she was out of earshot, he heard that clear, deep voice.

"She doesn't look much different, does she?"

"No, she doesn't." Vlad turned to make eye contact with the man who had given him the ability to live for this long. He was old, however he looked like he had regained some life back. His skin wasn't as pale, and his eyes weren't as red. Oh, how well he hid his inner demon. "How have you been fairing?"

"Much less than I would like to be. I'm in desperate need of food." The older man held a glint in his eyes Vlad knew all too well. "Would you like to join me?"

"No. However, I've grown quite fond of the modern twists humans have put on coffee." Vlad gesture to a small cafe right beside them. "Join me instead?"

"Of course. After you." The older man waved his hand towards the entrance, and the two men wandered inside.

After ordering and finding a small, secluded space away from the hipster young adults that donned large spectacles and disrespectful clothing, the two men started their usual staring match. Whomever broke first was usually the one with the issue. For once, it was not Vlad.

"How have _you_ been fairing?"

"I'm much better now that I've found Mirena." Vlad smiled softly. "I'm embedded in her brain, just as the priest said she would be all those years ago."

"You do realize that she might not be as accepting now as she would have been even a hundred years ago? People today do not believe in us." The older man watched Vlad intently; however, the weariness in his eyes wasn't hard to see.

"I'm very much aware. But the priest said - "

"I do not care of the priests' words. He is dead, as is everyone else that you and I have come in contact with through the years."

"Why are you here?"

"I require your assistance."

"Oh? And if I do not comply?"

"You are in my debt. I gave you life, and now you help me."

Vlad chuckled. "You gave me strength. _I_ gave you life when I..." He paused, taking a deep breath. "When Mirena sacrificed herself for our people."

The older man nodded. "I will agree with you there. However, you'll be quite interested when you hear of what I am proposing."

"Proceed."

"Do you remember when we first spoke and you drank my blood that if I was released then I was to find my maker and destroy him?"

"Yes."

"Well, I've found him."

"And?"

"Your beloved works for him, unknowing of his true nature."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"I would like you to help me destroy him. Then you and I would be free to walk the Earth as mortals, dying with our loved ones the way that we should."

Vlad nodded, tapping his fingers on the top of the table while sipping on his drink. "I see."

"I'm hoping that once your beloved understands all, she'll help us as well."

"What if she doesn't?"

"Then she'll be of no use and we get rid of her."

Vlad paused. He'd waited hundred of years for her. Was he going to give her up that easily? "Okay."

The older man nodded again. "Good. I'll meet you tomorrow morning. Now I'm sure that you were planning on tracking her down. I advise you go do that. She seems to still have her wits about her. But I just have one more question."

"And that is?"

"What exactly did the priest say to you concerning her?"

"That only when God was to accept who I am would I be privileged to have her in my life again."

The older man nodded. "It seems as though God has not given up on you yet, my friend."

"Indeed he has not. I shall see you tomorrow." With that, Vlad stood, taking his coffee with him and parting ways with his fellow monster.

XxXxXx

"So.. was he at least hot?"

"Oh, you have no idea. Like, weird hot."

"Like Lobster Boy from AHS hot, or like Loki hot?"

"More like Benedict Cumberbatch hot." Mina couldn't believe how much she sounded like a high school girl. She had a bachelor's in Art History and a master's in Museum Studies, why did she sound like this?

"No way." Evelyn's voice kept getting higher pitched by the statement, and Mina was getting pretty tired of it. Smiling slightly, she made up some random excuse as to why she had to get off the phone, then moved to her kitchen, where she poured herself a cup of coffee. Suddenly, her phone rang again.

"Good morning, Mr. Dmitri, I was just about to head into the office... Oh? Okay, then. Thank you!... I guess I can go take care of the first floor of the museum. We're getting the shipment of those Romanian oil canvases you purchased last week... Okay. I'll see about that special piece you wanted to put on display." Putting her phone down again, Mina shuffled around her kitchen to grab her trench coat and slipped on a pair of stilettos. Running her fingers through her cropped hair, she slid her phone into her pocket, grabbed her to go cup, and headed out.

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><p><strong>Okay, maybe it wasn't too bad? If ya'll have any ideas as to what you want me to do with this, then go right ahead. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry it took me so long to update, guys. School stuff. And I'm writing a _Supernatural_ fanfic. If you watch the show, go check it out! It's called _From the Ashes and Into the Storm_. (I don't normally advertise my other stories, but I figured that I would just once)**

**So, here's the second chapter!**** The paragraphs are longer, I'm warning you.**

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><p>It was cold at first. There were no lights on, and the only sound resonating in the hallow hallways were Mina's clicking stilettos. She let out the silent breath that she had been holding when she found the light switch at the end of the hallway. When the soft lights flickered on, Mina was greeted to about a dozen large cardboard boxes, all with printed Romanian terms on them that went right over her head. She was going to have to call Dimitri.<p>

Sighing, she set to work opening the boxes one by one, marveling at the exquisite paintings stored in them. Each painting was that of a horrific story: the origin of vampires. Dimitri's exhibit for the next few months was to be based on vampiric legends and how it shaped the Romanian culture as a whole, and Mina loved the idea, especially because it was her favorite topic to study when she was in college. She loved the legends made to explain the things that went bump in the night, and for her to be a part of a museum that dedicated its entire mission on giving the public the many different reasons behind it made her heart flutter with joy. Mina was pretty sure Dimitri's love for this stuff was why they worked so well together, and probably why he hired her; they had the same interests. Mina had even traced her lineage all the way back to the time when the Turks had ruled over Romania - except, everything had stopped there. She also found she had a keen resemblance to Dracula's dead wife, but she was a firm believer in science and genetics, so she knew that the percentage of having someone else in the world look like her was a very large number.

Setting the empty boxes in the corner, Mina moved her way to the front of the museum to keep an eye open for this morning's staff (who were going to be late in about five minutes). Everyone had been ecstatic yesterday when she had sent the text message out that the new pieces were in, and she'd received texted promises that everyone would be on time today. For Mina, this was the most exciting thing in the world, and it had seemed as though everyone else was too. So where were they?

Glancing at her phone screen, she saw that there was only two minutes before everyone was late. When she glanced back up at the door, Mina saw all thirteen of the museum's morning employees rushing across the street. Disheveled and anxious, their feet moved swiftly, and they kept moving their heads as if they were spooked by something. Unlocking the door with one hand, Mina used her hip to push it open, smiling and nodding at each employee as they made their ways to their stations. Dropping their things off, they then filed towards the back to swipe their time cards in. Afterwards, they all stood in a hoard around the boxes, starting to speak in low tones, pointing at the artwork, waiting for Mina to address them. "Good morning, everyone." Silence raptured everyone, and they turned their eyes towards Mina, who had moved towards one of the corners of the many rooms, teeth glittering in the soft lighting. "Today we're going to shift the entire place around so we can make our new Vampire exhibition the forefront of what we talk about. Everything has to be moved and placed to perfection by the time Dimitri gets here, which will be at 12:30. It's about 9:30 right now, which means we have three hours to do it. Think you guys can handle it?" Silence. "Guys, wake up!"

"I think we should be done by then," one of the employees murmured, nodding his head. The others agreed with him, murmuring softly. Mina nodded.

"Good. Dimitri emailed me the blueprints as well as the projected flow of foot traffic with the new exhibition included, and I've made copies for each of you so you know what you're doing. I've labeled each one of these copies individually, so everyone isn't scrambling to find something to do and no duty is left undone. Hopefully we'll be finished by noon so we can make quick adjustments. You guys know how Dimitri is." Silence. "Alright guys, let's get to work!"

For the next three hours, each individual carefully moved paintings, sculptures, and other forms of artwork all around the museum, shifting the importance of each and every exhibition. Finally, everything was put into place, with about half an hour left before the man of the hour was to show up. Mina carefully inspected the placement of each piece of artwork, making sure it was exactly how Dimitri wanted it. Smiling as she passed through the maze of plain white walls adorned with pictures and paintings, Mina realized just how much she loved her job. The light wooden floors had glass cases protruding from them, and the lights shining from underneath of them illuminated each individual sculpture of pottery work in order to differentiate them from the other wall decorations. Just as she was about to inspect the most important part of today, her phone buzzed. One word was typed from her employer: "Here." Mina took a quick breath, glanced at the exhibition quickly, nodded to herself, and moved towards the front of the museum. "Places everyone!" she called, moving swiftly to the front door. Nodding at Becky, the information and sales lady at the front desk, Mina smiled to let her know that she'd placed Dimitri's coffee exactly how he liked it: steaming and black, with the lid lying upside down on the counter next to the stiff cup. "Good afternoon, Dimitri. You showed up just in time."

"I always have impeccable timing, my dear." Dimitri's smooth, low voice echoed throughout the museum, causing Mina to have a quick bout of the shudders. He grabbed her hand lightly, grazing his lips across her knuckles swiftly and softly. "Always a pleasure, Mina."

Mina smiled widely at Dimitri. They had met a few years ago when she had started grad school, and she was one of the students in a class he lectured at. Instantly, she had almost fallen in love with the man. Granted, his wrinkly skin combined with his mole spots didn't necessarily make him the most attractive, however, he was intelligent and even a bit cunning, which Mina admired. She looked towards the man as a father figure and role model; he'd been able to employ her and get her out of her school debt because of their deal. He helped her, and she'd carry on his legacy once he died. "Of course, Dimitri. Shall we walk?"

And walk they did. Both toured the museum, making quick commentary on how well the employees did making sure everything looked the way it should have, and Dimitri expressed his encouragement to open the museum for the day. "Everyone here is getting paid for the day anyways. We might as well make them work for it." He paused. "However, you, Mina, deserve the rest of the day off. Take your time off wisely. No dark sunglasses tomorrow morning."

Mina blushed, knowing full well what he meant. "Thank you, Dimitri."

"Of course. Now go." His frail hands shooed her away, and Mina excitedly obliged. She grabbed all of her things from the back office and clocked out for the day. As she scrambled by Dimitri, she heard him call out to her: "Oh, and expect a nice bonus in your upcoming paycheck, Mina!" Flashing a bright smile, Mina quickly shoved the door open with her back, twirling fast on her skinny heels.

And she landed right into the front of Vlad. Right? That is his name? Wait, why is he here? Mina swore by the way his eyes shone he could hear her thoughts. "Well! Fancy to meet you here!"

He chuckled, smiling widely. "The same goes to you, my dear." He paused, picking up her hand and kissing it lightly. Mina made a face, but not one of discomfort. She found it strange that Vlad and Dimitri had similar mannerisms.

Well, they both seem to be from Eastern Europe.

"Do you work here?" Vlad asked, dropping Mina's hand.

She nodded. "We actually just finished setting up a new art display. Would you like to see? I'm sure I can get you in free of charge."

He shook his head. "Oh, no. Not today, anyway. Are you free?"

Mina nodded, arching an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Would you like to go for coffee? It is a rather pleasant day. It would be nice to sit outside and have some company."

"Sure."

They walked together then, moving through the streets fluidly, like they had lived there all their lives. After reaching the coffee shop, they spent hours sitting in a corner outside talking. Mina learned that Vlad was in the international trading business and it was very lucrative for him. Vlad learned about Mina's college backstory, and all about how she met Dimitri. She seemed unaware of the nosy nature of his questions, and Vlad was grateful. When Mina glanced at her watch and claimed she had to get home because she needed rest from the stress of setting up the museum this morning, Vlad was more than obliging to walk her to her home. He noted how much vinery lined the brick walls of the apartment building she lived in and smiled. The red brick combined with the Victorian style and the dark brown shutters made the building seem charming and romantic, even.

"Well, this is me," Mina sighed, walking up the brown painted steps to the front door. She fished out her keys and stuck the one to the building into the bottom lock. She turned back to Vlad. "It was nice to have coffee with you. Thank you for a relaxing day." She was surprised he had followed her up; his steps had been so silent, almost ghost-like. Mina looked up at his serious features, noticing how he leaned down until the noses almost touched.

"Yes, it was quite nice," he murmured. He hesitated a quick moment before pressing his lips to hers. It was so quick Mina barely had a moment to register it had happened before he pulled away.

"Mhm." Vlad watched as Mina's cheeks turned pink and she rushed inside, slamming the door behind her. Smiling to himself, he turned away, a slight spring in his step.

He was one step closer to getting his wife back, and two steps closer to finding the master vampire.

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><p><strong>So, leave a review! You know you want to!<strong>


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